Winter Just Wasn't My Season
by RJay23
Summary: Haley has returned to Tree Hill, with pain in her heart and a secret that is under threat. When she must seek help from the most unlikely person, who will be there to help her deal with the fallout?
1. Chapter 1

**I am in no way affiliated with One Tree Hill, The CW or Mark Schwahn. Nor do I own or claim any rights to these characters. I am merely playing with them before returning them to their rightful owner. No copy infringement intended. I also do not own Anna Nalick or her song/lyrics for **_**Breathe: 2AM **_**in which the title has been taken from.**

* * *

**Winter Just Wasn't My Season**  
_Chapter 1 – Some For The Better, Some For The Worse_

**_  
__24__th__ December, 2008_**

Haley James brushed away the few tears that had managed to spill onto her cheeks during her flight. She had promised herself, no more tears. She wouldn't cry over him anymore; she wouldn't cry another single tear over him. He wasn't worth it; but no matter how many times she tried to tell herself that, she knew it wasn't true. He was worth it; he always had been. From the first time she met him, she knew he was going to change her life, and she didn't even know his name.

_She was standing on the corner of the dance-floor. She was dancing without a care in the world as she tried to forget about everything that was resting on her shoulders and the fears she had. She let the music wash over her and let the worries and the bad memories flow out of her body, leaving her a free spirit; at least until the end of the song. The lyrics and the beat of the heavy dance music hypnotised her as she swayed her hips to the music. She was completely oblivious to the stares of the young man who sat at the bar, beer in his hand and his eyes focused on her. As she turned around, still completely under the spell of the music, her eyes met his and a shiver went up her spine when she realised he had been watching her. She hadn't felt this good in so long. After the torturous few months that had just passed, tonight, right in the moment of this song, she felt freer then she had in a long time. With more confidence then she knew she possessed, Haley continued to sway her hips without losing eye contact with the guy at the bar._

_Suddenly, she felt two arms slip around her waist from behind and someone whisper in her ear, asking if she wanted to dance. After politely declining the offer, she attempted to walk away but his arms remained wrapped around her. Struggling to walk away, she tried to pry this jerk's arms off her and after a few seconds, she was successful in untangling herself from this guy who obviously didn't know how to take 'no' for an answer. Starting to walk away, he once again grabbed her arm, attempting to pull her back to him. Haley ripped her arm out of this idiot's grasp. Her arm swung back from the force of her pull and was caught by another hand. She spun around, ready to tell whoever it was to leave her alone but when she turned her breath caught in her throat - it was the mysterious guy from the bar, the one who she had been staring at earlier. _

_Her words she had been planning to say remained unsaid, even when he led her to the centre of the dance-floor. She saw the glare he shot at the annoying guy over his shoulder and bit back a smile. She didn't know him, but she had to at least be thankful to him; he had gotten her away from that creep. Suddenly he stopped and turned around to face her, placing his hands on her hips and beginning to dance with her. Not knowing what else to do, she placed her hands on his broad shoulders. He was gorgeous, she concluded. His deep cerulean eyes were dark and sexy but they held a secret pain. She wasn't sure what but it was there – she could see it. From his tall and fit frame, she assumed he was an athlete. _

_She didn't even notice that the song had ended. She just stood there looking at him, as he continued to look at her. He leaned towards her and her eyes fluttered closed, her lips tingling with anticipation. Just as he was about to kiss her, just when she could feel his warm breath on her lips and his hands move from her hips to lock around her waist…_

"_Dude, I was wondering where you were? We're going. Come on!"_

_Haley's eyes fluttered open and she blinked, trying to regain her senses. He hadn't even kissed her but look what it was doing to her. She moved her arms, from where they had come to rest around his neck, to her face, brushing away a stray piece of hair as she blew out a shaky breath. His arms remained around her waist as he turned to glare at the interruption – a good-looking young man, with dark, tanned skin and deep brown eyes. They were soulful and beautiful, but she liked his better. His were a deep blue that appeared darker now then they had before he leaned in to kiss her. _

_The guy who had interrupted them, clapped his hand on his shoulder and tried to steer him away, but he was not moving from his place next to her. He was strong, very strong, and determined, it seemed. He raised his arms, and removed her arms from around his neck. Haley had to control herself from whimpering at the loss of contact as he moved away from her, taking a few steps towards the nearby bar. He reached behind, producing something that was hidden from her view. Walking back to her, as his friend stood by, watching curiously, he grabbed for her hand, grasping her slender wrist with his slightly calloused fingertips. He turned her arm around, so that her palm lay flat against his forearm, she responded by grasping it loosely, out of slight curiousity but mostly due to strong desire to be in contact with him. She watched as he produced a pen from the other hand and began to mark the supple skin on the inside skin of her wrist. She stared at her arm for a few seconds before looking back up at him, gasping softly when she saw how intensely he was staring at her._

_Her eyes fluttered close as she saw him, once again, leaning in closer to her but was surprised when she felt his warm, soft lips upon wrist, just above the place he had marked her with blue biro ink. She didn't even know what she was now inked with, but quite frankly, she couldn't care. As his lips closed around the juncture where her arm met her hand, she gasped softly, as he lips pressed softly to her skin, his tongue skimming across the surface of her vein. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, that small action did something to her. Something foreign, but undeniably good, as small flutterings began in the bottom of her stomach. Something so innocent couldn't possibly feel so good, so erotic. Could it? _

_Her eyes remained close even after his lips were no longer on her wrist, and she had to stop herself from bringing her other hand across to touch her still warm and slightly damp wrist. Her breath caught in her throat when she felt his warm breath on her ear, as he uttered the first words either had spoken since they met before walking away._

"_I'll be seeing you"_

* * *

After that first meeting, fate had brought them together again and they had fallen in love. He was the love of her life, she realised that, but everybody makes mistakes and their mistakes, together and apart, had cost them their future together. It couldn't go back to the way it had been, never again. It couldn't and she wouldn't let it; she wouldn't let herself be hurt like that again. It wasn't just her that had been hurt. She knew that she had hurt him as well, but they could have gotten past that. But one thing had destroyed their relationship, and in the process, destroyed her. It was over; she had finally come to accept that. Now, she had more important things to worry about; someone more important to worry about.

"Good afternoon passengers. This is your Captain speaking. We are now beginning our descent into Tree Hill. Thank-you for flying with our airline, and we hope you enjoyed your flight."

After a few minutes, Haley felt the jolt of the plane hitting the runway and began to pull her bag out from under her seat. Glancing up, she saw the seatbelt sign had been turned off so she began to unbuckle the safety restraint. It was time to face her past. It was time to face Tree Hill. It was time to face him.

During the flight, she had tried to convince herself that she was prepared for this; that she was prepared to face him again. But as she walked through the tunnel, exiting the plane and making her way into the main terminal, the small amount of confidence she had quickly disappeared. She was back here again, a place she had moved to only a mere year ago, a place she had said she would never return to. Not after the last time she had been here, when it had changed her life – some ways for the better, some for the worse. It was still hard for her to believe that she had walked through this exact airport as a broken and grief-stricken seventeen-year old who had just lost her mother to breast cancer and was being forced to move across the country to live with the father she hadn't seen in two years.

The year before she had first arrived in Tree Hill had been one of the hardest of her life. Between trying to stay strong for her dying mother and dealing with her own fears of the cancer that was stealing her mother away from her, it had been hard on the young teen. She would always remember the day she was told that her mother had a terminal illness, and there wasn't anything that could be done to stop its progress.

"_Mom, I'm home! Mom? Mom?" Haley called to her mother as she walked in the front door of the Californian house. She loved this house, there were so many happy memories that had been formed here. Sure, it wasn't an extravagant house by any means, but it was home and both Haley and Lydia loved living there. _

"_I'm in my bedroom, honey" came her mother's response, echoing down the hallway to where Haley was standing in the main foyer. She made her way down to her mother's bedroom, knocked on the door and entered. The beautiful young teen found her mom sitting on the floor looking at photos from when Haley was a baby._

"_Mom, what's wrong?" Haley asked when she saw her mother's teary eyes. She scurried over to her mother, sitting down. _

"_I'm okay, I just want to talk to you" the teary eyed Lydia Beaugard replied, flipping the page of the album as her eyes took in the photos in front of her. She was a woman of only thirty-nine, but she had aged well and still had a youthful appearance. Currently, that flawless face was streaked with tears and her gorgeous daughter was terrified of what could have her mother so upset. She was an emotionally strong woman and it took a lot for her to break down. Haley looked at her mother expectantly, waiting for her to continue with what she needed to say. After sitting in silence for a few minutes, it became clear that she wasn't going to say anything, so Haley decided to break the silence. _

"_Oh, do you remember that?" Haley asked, pointing to a photo in the album that was perched on her mother's lap. It was a photo of a younger Haley, six or seven years old, sitting on the step of their house holding a small piece of paper and grinning widely at the camera, missing teeth and all. Upon closer inspection, it could be seen that the small paper was a certificate. _

"_Of course I do. I remember how you jumped off the bus and ran straight into my arms," Lydia reminisced, pulling Haley into a side hug and stroking her hair, "You were waving that certificate everywhere, a smile so wide on your face I thought your face was going to split in two. That was about a week after you started first grade and you had won that academic excellence certificate. The first one in your class and I knew then that you were going to be my little genius." _

"_Mom…" Haley blushed, bowing her head but still letting a small smile creep onto her face. _

"_Do you know how proud I am of you? You are a beautiful young woman Haley Ann James and I love you very much. I will always be here for you, okay? No matter what happens, I will always be with you."_

"_Mom, what's wrong? You're scaring me" Haley asked, extremely concerned. Her mother was a tough woman. Something must have happened for her to be so emotional and upset._

"_I have cancer, sweetie" Lydia informed her daughter, as another tear slipped onto her cheek. It was still a lot for her to come to terms with, but Haley was her daughter, her best friend, and deserved to know straight away._

"_Oh" Haley responded, merely because she was too shell-shocked to form a coherent sentence. What was she supposed to say? Her mother had just told her that she had a life-threatening illness. It was a lot to digest and she hadn't ever been in this situation before, or a situation remotely close to it. How could anyone prepare themselves for this; when someone they love tells them they have a possibly terminal illness. It was impossible to do so because no one even thinks about it happening to them. But here Haley was, being told that her mother was suffering from a disease. _

_From there, Haley's mom had gone on to tell her that she had breast cancer. _

_It was too far progressed for any treatment options to work.  
_

Too caught up in her memories, Haley James didn't realise that she was still standing in the middle of the terminal, people dodging and weaving past her as they continued on their way. She wondered what their story was, what had happened to them that led them to this moment. It fascinated her that everyone had their own story to tell and their own lives to lead, but right now, her purpose in Tree Hill was to ensure the survival of one life in particular, a life that meant very much to her.

* * *

Grabbing her small bag of luggage, with contained only the necessary items she would need for her stay, Haley walked out of the airport. Standing on the curb, she placed her bag beside her feet and hailed a cab. Climbing into the back seat of the taxi, she told the driver the address. She couldn't believe that she had just told the driver to take her there.

It was like she walking straight back into the past, a place she repeatedly told herself was history and was to stay where it belonged – behind her, never to be spoken of, or revisited, again.

She rested her face in her elbow, which leant on the window frame of the cab, watching all the scenery, and all of the memories, roll past. It brought back so much pain and so many feelings, especially when they passed the high school and then the hospital. But more than her feelings rested on this trip and she could put her fears and reservations aside if it meant she could save a life. For that was what she had came here to do.

* * *

As the taxi pulled up into the driveway, she noticed all of the cars that were parked in the driveway and on the street. With everything else that was on her mind, she had forgotten that it was Christmas Eve and that they would be celebrating, just as they did every year.

However, an annual Christmas party with hundreds of important, and rich, clients as well as family and friends, could not be spared when something more precious was at stake.

Grabbing her bag and flinging open the taxi door, Haley slid across the seat and climbed out. She was hit with a wave of nausea as it really sunk in where she was and who she was about to see. Taking a deep breath, and after thanking and paying the driver, she cautiously made her way up the driveway and to the front door. The tiny sliver of confidence she had managed to conjure up during the drive over vanished and all that remained was a distraught eighteen-year old girl, looking for help that could only be provided by coming here. Raising a shaking hand to the door, she knocked once, softly, before knocking once more, louder and more determined. It was time to suck it up and be brave – she had to be, for his sake if not for her own.

The door swung open and she was met with two blue eyes that she would know anywhere.

* * *

His face was a surprised as she had expected it to be.

"Hi Lucas" was all she could manage to say to him. She was glad that it was him who had answered the door. She had missed him.

"Haley" he choked out, smiling at her before bringing her into a bone crushing hug. She wrapped one arm around his back, the familiarity of his hug causing a few tears to leak onto her cheeks before she pulled back. She needed to do what she came here to do.

"Is he here?" was all she said, but the way she said it spoke a million words. She wasn't looking for _him _and that confused the sandy-blonde boy, but regardless he led her into the house, closing the door behind them. He offered to take her bag and coat, but she merely shook her head and followed him further into the house. As she walked past all of the rich clients, dressed in their designer dresses and suits and dripping in diamonds, she tugged her coat closer to her. She felt self-conscious in her plain denim jeans and red coat but continued to walk, trying to ignore all the stares she was receiving.

After following Lucas for a few minutes, as he weaved in and out of people, sometimes being stopped to be introduced to someone or to talk with another, they finally reached the trophy room of the house. Figures that's where he would be on a night like this, boasting about his success. As he cleared his throat at the entrance of the room, which caused everyone to look his way, Lucas spoke clearly and confidently as though she hadn't just turned up on his family's doorstep.

"Dad, there's someone here to see you" he said before stepping aside so she could be seen. It was then that her eyes came into contact with his. The beautiful blue eyes, so different from the paler ones she had been greeted with at the front door, she had been hoping to avoid. His face was one of pure shock and Haley thought she saw a flicker of regret in his eyes. She merely glared at him, before turning her head away from him. His father seemed just as surprised to see her.

"I need to speak with you" she said determinedly, looking straight into the eyes of Dan Scott.

* * *

Closing the door to his office, Dan moved to take a seat in the leather chair that sat behind the mahogany desk. She walked up to the desk, placing her hands on the wooden table and looked straight into his eyes, as hers started to brim with tears at the thought of what would happen if he didn't agree.

"I need your help. It's Ryan. He's dying and only you can save him. Please help me save my son. Please help me save your baby grandson."


	2. Chapter 2

**I am in no way affiliated with One Tree Hill, The CW or Mark Schwahn. Nor do I own or claim any rights to these characters. I am merely playing with them before returning them to their rightful owner. No copy infringement intended. I also do not own Anna Nalick or her song/lyrics for **_**Breathe: 2AM **_**in which the title has been taken from.

* * *

**

**Winter Just Wasn't My Season**  
_Chapter 2 – I'll See You Again, Someday_

_**1**__**st **__**October, 2007**_

_"Good afternoon passengers. This is your Captain speaking. We have just landed in Tree Hill, North Carolina. Thank-you for flying with our airline, and we hope you enjoyed your flight."_

Unbuckling her safety restraint and standing up, Haley James brushed away the few tears that were on her cheeks as she began to walk off the aircraft. She had promised herself, and her mother, no more tears. She couldn't cry anymore, she had to be strong. It had been her dying mother's wish; the final words she had spoken.

_Lydia Beaugard pushed herself up with frail arms, attempting to sit higher in her bed. Her face was sunken and pale, her arms weak and thin. It killed Haley to see her mother like this, so sick and sallow. She had always been so vibrant and full of life, and to see her so sick was Haley's worst fear. Her mother was dying and there was nothing she could do to help her or prevent it from happening. She had never felt so helpless. There wasn't a damn thing she could except sit back and watch it happen. _

"_Hey mom" Haley whispered from the doorway, where she had been standing and watching. _

"_Hey, Haley-bub. Come sit down with me" came Lydia's soft and strained reply, as she patted the duvet beside her. Haley rushed to her mother's side as she, once again, tried to sit higher in the bed. Putting her hands behind her mother's back in order to help her sit up, a small, single tear trickled down her cheek. This had to have been the worst week for her mother since her illness had been discovered. She had fainted last week at work, which she had continued to attend because she didn't want this illness to take anything away from her, and had been told to rest. _

"_What do you want to talk about, Mom?" Haley asked, curling up on the bed and placing her head in her mother's lap. Lydia immediately began running her fingers through her daughter's hair in a soothing manner that had Haley's eyes fluttering, slowly closing. It had been something her mother had always done when Haley was a little child, whether she was tired or upset or just looking for affection from the person she loved most._

"_Soon, I'm not going to be here anymore, Haley" she spoke, continuing to run her fingers through Haley's dirty blonde locks as she shook her head in protest at the thought. She knew it was true but she didn't want it happen. She wanted her mother to be there when she went to her prom, when she graduated high school and college, when she got married and when she had her own children. She wanted her mom with her during it all and to know that she wouldn't have her mom by her side scared Haley. She was seventeen, she wasn't an adult and she didn't want to lose her mom. She wasn't ready to say goodbye to the most important person in her life. She didn't think she ever would be ready for that. _

"_Mom, don't say that!" Haley whimpered, clenching her fists as her chest ached at the thought. _

"_Haley, we know it's true. There isn't anything that you or I can do to change it. This the card I've been dealt, so now we have to deal with it"_

"_I don't want to deal with it. I want you to be here with me!" she protested, sounding like when she was a small child and her favourite toy had been lost or broken. Only, she wasn't a child anymore, she was seventeen years old and it was more important than a toy that was being lost - it was her mother's life. _

"_I know, honey. I want to be here to but it's not possible. I want to be there when you get married, walking down the aisle as a gorgeous young woman, and when you have your own babies and I want to see you in your beautiful prom dress. But we both know that it's not going to happen. So we have to be strong, Haley-bub. It's the only way we can deal with what is going to happen." Lydia's voice caught in her throat at the end of her sentence and she released a soft cough. _

"_I'm always going to be with you, Haley, and I want you to promise something" she said, waiting until Haley nodded her head before continuing, "I want you to promise me that you will be strong when I am gone and that you won't cry. You have to go on with your life, bub, and be happy. That will make me happy because I will be right beside you. I'll never leave you."_

_Haley began to cry softly into her mother's lap, her tears staining the comforter that rested above her mother's legs, before nodding her head._

"_I promise. I'm going to miss you. I promise that I'll make you proud. I love you, so much" she whispered, but her mother heard her clearly. _

"_I'm always proud of you. You are the best daughter that any mother could ask for and I love you so much. I'll always be with you and I'll see you again someday." Lydia whispered back, her voice raspy and raw. _

_Forty-five minutes later, lying in the same position that she had been in earlier, with her teenage daughter in her arms, Lydia Rae Beaugard passed away._

Two weeks after her mother's death, Haley found herself in the middle of the Tree Hill airport terminal. Her mother had requested for Haley to finish her schooling in the town where her father lived when she had passed on. So, three days after her mother's funeral had taken place, Haley had boarded a plane destined for the small town on the other side of the country. It was going to be a huge adjustment, since Haley had lived in California all her life with her mom. Now she would be living with her father, whom she hadn't seen in two years, and her half-brother who she hadn't seen for just as long. While she loved them both dearly, they weren't her mother and she was all Haley wanted at the moment.

"Haley! Hales! Where are you?" a deep, masculine voice boomed from somewhere in the vicinity. She would recognise that voice anywhere. Standing on her tipi-toes, Haley craned her neck to see if she could spot her brother.

"Jake?" she replied, still trying to spot him in the large masses of people. Her face lit up when his face came into view and she raced towards him. He smiled widely, opening his arms which she readily ran into. No matter how much time they spent apart, he would always be her brother and he could always make her feel better. Now, right here in Jake's strong embrace, Haley felt better than she had in the two weeks since her mother's passing.

"I missed you so much, baby girl!" he said, finally letting go of her and she smiled at the use of his nickname of her.

"I missed you too, Jakey. It's been too long" she replied, smiling widely at him as he wrapped one arm around her shoulders and lead her towards the baggage carousel.

"It has been way too long and only for that reason will I let you get away with calling me that!" he said, smiling as she laughed, "You know I hate being called that, Haley J!"

"I know; that's why I call you it!" she said and laughed at him as he mock glared at her.

They made their way to the front of the baggage carousel and stood in silence for a few moments, simply watching the bags move past them. Jake decided to break the silence.

"Hales, how are you doing?" he asked, and then continued when he saw her about to give an untrue answer, "Don't say you're fine when I know you're not. How are you really doing?"

"Not so good. It's been hard, you know?" she said, smiling sadly at him.

"But you're here with me now. I'm going to make sure that you are happy again, baby girl. I promise" he said as he picked up Haley's suitcase off the revolving baggage claim and began to wheel it out of the airport. Haley followed closely behind him and as she stepped out into the North Carolina sunlight, she truly hoped that he was right. She didn't think she could handle another heartbreak. She had barely survived this one.

* * *

Haley watched out of the window as a car drove past. It was a simple town, she had noted during the drive to her new home from the airport, and it was completely different from Los Angeles, which she was so accustomed to after living there her whole life. After arriving at her father's house, and once Jake had brought her suitcase up to her new room, Haley had taken a seat on the window bench that was in her room. She had the perfect view of the front garden and the street outside. It was obvious that Jake had tried to make her feel as comfortable as possible in her new room; he had painted the walls a deep green colour before purchasing deep mahogany furniture, accompanied by crisp, white linens. It was beautiful and she loved it; she loved him for being so thoughtful and caring. He couldn't help it though, he had told her once, it was his default setting around her. He may seem like your typical basketball jock, but deep down, her brother was an old soul with a kind heart and a protective nature and she loved that about him. He didn't have to conform to society's expectations of a jock; he was who he wanted to be. She wished that she had of had enough confidence to break out of her mould when she was in California; prove to her peers that she was more than just a good-girl tutor - that she was an actually teenager who's life didn't revolve around studying.

In Los Angeles, her high school had displayed the typical hierarchy system that is found in almost all schools. Cheerleaders and jocks were the popular ones with geeks, like herself, close to the bottom. It had been a regular occurrence for her to be ridiculed because she spent time helping others to achieve their potential and that she cared more about her grades, and her future, than parties and drinking. She had only one real friend in California and his name was Chris Keller.

He hadn't been a tutor like her, he was just Chris. To her, that's all he was. She didn't understand or react to the labels placed upon people, even the one she had earned. It didn't make sense to her – they were all just people, trying to find their way in the world. Chris was a musician and he cared more about his music than his grades. So when it became apparent that if he didn't start making an effort in his education, he wouldn't graduate, he had approached Haley after learning about her reputation as the best tutor in the school.

After many tutor sessions, Chris' grades improved, as did the relationship between the tutor and her pupil. Even though Chris was a senior, and Haley a junior, they became quick friends, bonding over their mutual love for music and passion for playing, not letting the age difference bother them. It was an unlikely bond, but as Haley reminisced on it now, it was one that she wouldn't take back for the world; even when he had left at the end of his senior year to tour with The Wreckers and Gavin DeGraw. He hadn't been around to learn of her mother's death and she didn't want to hinder his quest for musical stardom by asking him to come home.

Realising that she was beginning to think about her mother, Haley turned away from the window and slipped on a pair of shoes. She knew that if she continued on with that train of thoughts, she would begin to cry. Opening the bedroom door, she walked down the stairs and into the living room.

"Wow Haley, you unpacked quickly" Jake exclaimed from his place on the couch, his eyes not moving from the television as his fingers continued to frantically press buttons on his PlayStation controller.

'Yeah, will no help from you. Thanks for that Jakey," she emphasised his nickname and laughed when his face formed a glare, "you seem to have a habit of disappearing when there is hard work to be done" Haley teased.

"Well, old habits die hard and why ruin a good thing?" he teased back. 'Haley have you been crying?' he asked, as he finally set his controller down and turned to face her.

'What? No, of course not. So is there anywhere good to eat in this town?' she asked, changing the subject. It was obvious that he had noticed the abrupt change in conversation, but decided not to comment on it.

"Uh…yeah, Karen's Cafe is good; it's on the main street. My friend Lucas' mom owns it. She's great. You'd like her" he responded, as he swung his legs over the end of the couch and picked up the television remote.

"Okay, I'm going to go have a look around town and get something to eat. Can I borrow your car?"

"Yeah, sure. Keys are on the kitchen bench. I'll see you when you get in."

"Bye Jake!" she called, already halfway out the door, car keys in hand.

* * *

Singing along with the radio softly, Haley wandered around town in her brother's Jeep. Tree Hill had a very small town feel, nothing like the bustling city of Los Angeles. As her stomach grumbled, she decided to look for somewhere to eat. After all, it was almost seven at night and she hadn't eaten since breakfast this morning. Pulling into a park outside the small café, Haley jumped out and walked up the steps.

The establishment was called 'Karen's Café', the place Jake had recommended, and as she stepped inside, Haley immediately fell in love with the place. It had a homely vibe but it was very stylish and hip, with various quotes painted on the walls and a large map on the wall. Upon closer inspection, she realised it detailed famous musician's hometowns. Seemed like something Chris would like, she noted. She smiled and sat at the counter, waiting to be served.

"Good evening" a middle aged looking woman with brown, curly hair and a bright smile greeted her.

"Hi. You must be Karen?" Haley said, with a small smile on her face.

"Yes, I am. And you are…?" she prompted Haley to continue with the sentence. Karen seemed like a nice woman and she could see why Jake spoke so highly of her.

"I'm Haley. Jake's my brother and he recommended this place."

"I didn't know Jake had a sister" Karen said, thoroughly surprised that Jake hadn't shared that piece of information with her. She spoke to the teen almost everyday and he had never mentioned anything about having a sister, or any siblings at all.

"Not many people do. It's complicated" Haley chuckled and was surprised when Karen laughed too.

"This is Tree Hill, Haley. Complicated is our town's motto. Or it should be – it could even be painted on the welcome sign!" she said, still chuckling softly.

Haley decided then and there that her brother had been right. She did like Karen, a lot. She reminded her of her own mom; a bright smile, a youthful appearance and a kind heart.

"Did you want something to eat?" Karen asked as she busied herself behind the counter, making a hot chocolate for Haley and herself.

"Thank you. That would be great. Could I have a bowl of macaroni cheese?"

"Sure. I'll be right back" she said as she handed over one of the mugs of the sweet beverage, which Haley graciously accepted, before turning to make herself busy in, what Haley assumed to be, the kitchen area.

She sat on a stool near the bench, sipping on her drink, and waiting for Karen to return. Once she did, she took a seat beside Haley with her own cup of hot chocolate before continuing to chat with Haley, while she sat there and ate her dinner. As Haley continued to listen to Karen talk about the teens of Tree Hill, her own son and Jake in particular, she realised that she hadn't had this much fun in days. Maybe it was because Karen was so much like her own mother or maybe it was because she didn't pity Haley or treat her different because she didn't know about her mother's death. Whatever it was, Haley was glad that she had decided to come into Karen's Café that night.

* * *

Walking to the middle of the dancefloor, Haley began to sway her hips to the music. After talking to Karen for almost an hour, the older woman had begun to talk about the other business she owned, a nightclub just outside the centre of the town that was having an All Ages Night tonight. Karen had tried to convince Haley to attend, and after much debate while driving home, Haley had decided to throw caution to the wind and just go.

She was standing on the corner of the dance-floor. She was dancing without a care in the world as she tried to forget about everything that was resting on her shoulders and the fears she had. She let the music wash over her and let the worries and the bad memories flow out of her body, leaving her a free spirit; at least until the end of the song. The lyrics and the beat of the heavy dance music hypnotised her as she swayed her hips to the music. Normally, she wouldn't even think of doing something so bold, but tonight she just wanted to be a different person and forget about her reality. She was completely oblivious to the stares of the young man sitting on a stool at the bar. As she turned around, still completely under the spell of the music, her eyes met his, as he sat with a beer in his hand and his eyes focused on her, and a shiver went up her spine when she realised he had been watching her_._ She hadn't felt this good in so long. After the torturous few months that had just passed, tonight, right in the moment of this song, she felt freer then she had in a long time. With more confidence then she knew she possessed, Haley continued to sway her hips without losing eye contact with the guy at the bar.

Suddenly, she felt two arms slip around her waist from behind and someone whisper in her ear, asking if she wanted to dance. After politely declining the offer, she attempted to walk away but his arms remained wrapped around her. Struggling to walk away, she tried to pry this jerk's arms off her and after a few seconds, she was successful in untangling herself from this guy who obviously didn't know how to take 'no' for an answer. Starting to walk away, he once again grabbed her arm, attempting to pull her back to him. Haley ripped her arm out of this idiot's grasp. Her arm swung back from the force of her pull and was caught by another hand. She spun around, ready to tell whoever it was to leave her alone but when she turned her breath caught in her throat - it was the mysterious guy from the bar, the one who she had been staring at earlier.

The words she had been planning to say remained unsaid, even when he led her to the centre of the dance-floor. She saw the glare he shot at the annoying guy over his shoulder and bit back a smile. She didn't know him, but she had to at least be thankful to him; he had gotten her away from that creep. Suddenly he stopped and turned around to face her, placing his hands on her hips and beginning to dance with her. Not knowing what else to do, she placed her hands on his broad shoulders. He was gorgeous, she concluded. His deep cerulean eyes were dark and sexy but they held a secret pain. She wasn't sure what but it was there – she could see it. From his tall and fit frame, she assumed he was an athlete.

She didn't even notice that the song had ended. She just stood there looking at him, as he continued to look at her. He leaned towards her and her eyes fluttered closed, her lips tingling with anticipation. Just as he was about to kiss her, just when she could feel his warm breath on her lips and his hands move from her hips to lock around her waist…

"Dude, I was wondering where you were? We're going. Come on!"

Haley's eyes fluttered open and she blinked, trying to regain her senses. He hadn't even kissed her but look what it was doing to her. She moved her arms, from where they had come to rest around his neck, to her face, brushing away a stray piece of hair as she blew out a shaky breath. She quickly returned her arms to around his neck – she decided she liked the feel of his thick, broad shoulders beneath her slender arms. His arms remained around her waist as he turned to glare at the interruption – a good-looking young man, with dark skin and beautiful brown eyes. But Haley still liked his better though. His were a deep blue that appeared darker now then they had before he leaned in to kiss her.

The guy who had interrupted them, clapped his hand on his shoulder and tried to steer him away, but he was not moving from his place next to her. He was strong, very strong, and determined, it seemed. He raised his arms, and removed her arms from around his neck. Haley had to control herself from whimpering at the loss of contact as he moved away from her, taking a few steps towards the nearby bar. He reached behind, producing something that was hidden from her view. Walking back to her, as his friend stood by, watching curiously, he grabbed for her hand, grasping her slender wrist with his slightly calloused fingertips. He turned her arm around, so that her palm lay flat against his forearm, she responded by grasping it loosely, out of slight curiousity but mostly due to strong desire to be in contact with him. She watched as he produced a pen from the other hand and began to mark the supple skin on the inside skin of her wrist. She stared at her arm for a few seconds before looking back up at him, gasping softly when she saw how intensely he was staring at her.

Her eyes fluttered close as she saw him, once again, leaning in closer to her but was surprised when she felt his warm, soft lips upon wrist, just above the place he had marked her with blue biro ink. She didn't even know what she was now inked with, but quite frankly, she couldn't care. As his lips closed around the juncture where her arm met her hand, she gasped softly, as he lips pressed softly to her skin, his tongue skimming across the surface of her vein. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, that small action did something to her: something foreign, but undeniably good, as small flutterings began in the bottom of her stomach. Something so innocent couldn't possibly feel so good, so erotic. Could it?

Her eyes remained close even after his lips were no longer on her wrist, and she had to stop herself from bringing her other hand across to touch her still warm and slightly damp wrist. Her breath caught in her throat when she felt his warm breath on her ear, as he uttered the first words either had spoken since they met before walking away.

"I'll be seeing you"

* * *

Haley softly closed he front door behind her. It was late and she knew that Jake would be worried if he caught her sneaking in. After all, he thought that she was just going to get some food. Even she hadn't expected to stay out that long, but she was glad she had.

Creeping up the stairs, she gasped when the kitchen light suddenly turned on, revealing Jake sitting at the counter as he sipped on a glass of water. He smiled at her.

"Did you have a good night?" he asked, taking another sip before standing and walking over to the sink to deposit his dirty glass.

"Yeah. I had a good night. Karen's great!"

Jake nodded his head, smiling "Yeah, she is. So did anything interesting happen?"

Thinking about what had happened, Haley smiled softly to herself before looking back at her brother, shaking her head slightly. For now, she would keep her encounter with the mysterious guy at Tric, a secret.

"Not really" she responded before venturing up the stairs and into her bedroom. After changing into her pyjamas and climbing into bed, her head hit the pillow and a slow smile spread across her face. She knew she wouldn't be getting to sleep anytime soon because her mind was racing with thoughts of him and what it would have been like if they hadn't have been interrupted and his lips had of touched hers.

Her thoughts were of his warm breath on her wrist and the number he had scrawled onto her wrist. Not a phone number, not even an address. Just two numbers, of no real significance to her, it would seem. 23.

His words were ringing in her ears.

"_I'll be seeing you."_


End file.
